MDB
Well-Known Member
Thankyou. Me too. X
What is the longest time an abscess takes to burst?
- Thread starter MDB
- Start date
Thankyou. Me too. X
MDB
Well-Known Member
Thanks fun times. I need all the info I can get. Pedal bone fracture also crossed my mind. The vet hasn't dug around for abscesses. The management situation you mentioned is exactly my dilemma. Made worse by the fact that the horse isn't just a bit lame, but severely lame, which makes an accurate diagnosis all the more urgent.
ihatework
Well-Known Member
If she has a very strong positive block to the foot then you won't want a bone scan. It will be X-ray first, then potentially MRI.
My money would still be on an abscess from what you describe, but I would play safe at this stage and treat as a broken pedal bone or severe soft tissue injury.
Immobilise on box rest and give your vet an ear bashing.
My money would still be on an abscess from what you describe, but I would play safe at this stage and treat as a broken pedal bone or severe soft tissue injury.
Immobilise on box rest and give your vet an ear bashing.
MDB
Well-Known Member
Thankyou ihatework. This is the kind of positive instruction that I wish my vet would have given me. I also pray for an abscess rather than anything more serious. My horsey friend who has 50 odd years of experience in owning and working with horses came to visit today, and his first reaction when he saw her was 'omg, she is in pain'. He also took a good look at her hoof and was stumped.
Slightlyconfused
Go away, I'm reading
Yes he was about 3/4 tenths lame on that leg and the same for the six weeks. On the xray the pocket of pus was very close to the tip of his pedal bone. But because of his age and him not being insured we just carried on poulticing as the other option was into the surgery for a bigger dig.
He was on a danilon twice a day as we needws.him to be able to move round his stable to get him to help push the pus out.
stormox
Well-Known Member
You mention she is stiff and arthritic OP. I had a horse with arthritis although I didnt know it at the time. He went severely lame overnight, I treated it for an abscess but it wasn't, it was a piece of the new bone formation,the arthritis, which isnt as strong as normal bone, had broken off and was interfering with the joint. It was xrays taken then that showed up arthritis of the coffin joint.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
Oops, completely forgot a nerve block! Of course!! Agree with everything, including the ear bashing.
MDB
Well-Known Member
Ok, well that is useful to know. I would say my horse is easily 8/10 lame. She is unable to trot, and at its worst is barely putting any weight on the leg at all, she literally hops. Sometimes she is a bit better, going downhill for example seems more comfortable than level or uphill.
MDB
Well-Known Member
Ooh, that is really interesting, thanks for that. How was it treated?
whiteflower
Well-Known Member
I've seen one lame as you describe with a fractured pedal bone. If mine I think I would x-ray ASAP and nerve block. They can nerve block different areas within the foot and narrow down if it's medial, lateral, heel or toe (although it's not always an exact science) it's unusual for an abscess not to react to hoof testers but not impossible. I've had 2 which were thought to be abcesses by vets, one turned out to be a fracture, the other a massive ddft tear. Although abcesses r so common there r other options. If nothing on x-rays you have the option of it blocks to heel to ultrasound the ddft where it goes into the heel but it's apparently not very accurate unless damage is severe and also only covers a very small area within the heel. The last is generally MRI which will be the best way to get a good idea of what's going on but that will be very expensive if not insured...hoping for you it's an abscess but go with your gut, mines never let me down yet sadly !
Slightlyconfused
Go away, I'm reading
In that case I would demand xray as soon as possible as that's not right them leaving her that lame.
Pearlsacarolsinger
Up in the clouds
My Cushings mare had an abscess which started at the beginning of October until the end of December, farrier and ver both looked at it, farrier tried to open a hole and she wouldn't let him, as it was so painful, although no one area really was worse than another. Vet started talking about pedal bone fracture, farrier was still convinced that it was an abscess, lameness came and went, it was a nightmare. Eventually it burst through the sole and the coronet band and she was instantly sound.
I hope you get to the bottom of this soon. X-ray tomorrow sounds good, I would keep her in until then, to try to keep her comfortable until you know what is going on.
I hope you get to the bottom of this soon. X-ray tomorrow sounds good, I would keep her in until then, to try to keep her comfortable until you know what is going on.
MDB
Well-Known Member
Yes, they nerve blocked the heel of the hoof and she went sound in walk. DDFT tear was another thought which I asked my vet about and said it was unlikely as there would be more symptoms. Although my understanding of the anatomy is that the DDFTfans out over the navicular bone and inserts into the palmar surface of P3. So if it is injured inside the hoof capsule there won't be anything necessarily detectable elsewhere. Hopefully the x ray will give us some info tomorrow or at least a starting point, I also have a knack of being right with my gut when it comes to my animals. It isn't very scientific, but very often I am right. Although in this case I hope I am wrong and that it is an abscess.
MDB
Well-Known Member
Yeah, which is why I was so mad that they didn't x ray today. They didn't do it on Friday because the other vet was on holiday, meaning they were one vet down , and the one that came to me said they didn't have time, but if she was no better they would do the x ray on Monday. And now today nothing. I am not best pleased,
MDB
Well-Known Member
Thank you pearlsasinger. From what I am reading here, the abscesses which take long to burst seem to cause lameness which varies in severity and not necessarily so severe. It has only been a week of lameness , so not long in comparison to the 2 months you are talking about, but it has been quite constant sever lameness. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
stormox
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately the outcome wasn't a happy one. That really non weight bearing sudden lameness made me get xray done, he had been on and off slightly lame for months, but the arthritic bone formation was too badly broken up for him to be even paddock sound without cortisone injections or an operation and I had him pts. I hope your xray show different and you have a happier outcome. Good luck
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whiteflower
Well-Known Member
My ddft one was hoping lame but the severity of lameness did vary from crippled to slightly less crippled occasionally to very crippled. If your x-rays don't show a fracture or puss or tracks from abcesses then it may be worth the ultra sound if you cant spend the £1500 ish for the foot MRI (recently had 2 feet done on one and that was the cost) as it will rule out some of the ddft although as you quite correctly state not the part that is within the foot by the navicular bone (and typically the bit mine damaged and hence MRI). Your still early days but I would be a little concerned nothing has shown after a week of being non weight baring so your vets really do need to find out what's going on as abcesses causing that severe a lameness in my experience tend to errupt out somewhere relatively promptly and it's tends to be the lower level lameness rumbling on that can still be abcesses longer term. Hope you find out what's going on, it's not nice not knowing
MDB
Well-Known Member
Oh I am sorry to hear that. Your poor boy. That is a very sad outcome, I hope too that it isn't anything disastrous with mine, The thing with my mare is that she is very stoic, unlike my other horse who is a total woose, this mare is very tough, she puts up with things and gets on with it. She had fistulous withers 3 years ago, and had multiple surgeries in the field which left her with open wounds, took 6months to heal, and she was very resilient. She was never sorry for herself. For her to be this way, she must be in pain.
exracehorse
Well-Known Member
Good luck with the x rays. Following. Not much to add really. One had an abscess that took ages to burst through the heel. The other was lame which after ultra scan showed 4 holes in her annular ligament. But neither cases were as severe as yours. Only off in trot.
be positive
Well-Known Member
Was it really 3 years ago, how time flies, I had one probably as lame as yours with an abscess, he was blocked and xrayed which showed a pocket of pus just above the pedal bone, his feet were, like your mares, so tough that there was little chance of it moving without help, the vet opened it, then my farrier took over, he eventually had a fair bit of the wall cut out of the front to try and get it out, he was on off lame for months until it eventually all came out and the foot healed, in hindsight we probably should have gone straight in to operate but the vet thought it would resolve fairly quickly once opened up, the farrier also thought it would, the poor pony was so stoic there were days I wondered if I should keep going but he was always bright, always pleased to see people even the farrier, he didn't give up so we kept going and he came through.
Ahrena
Well-Known Member
I had one go on for near enough a month once. It was too deep inside the foot to dig out. Came out eventually but we found it on x-ray in the end
MDB
Well-Known Member
Yes, three years. Time does fly. Very interesting to hear of your boy's abscess. Our vet is coming this afternoon, so we have a little more time to wait. She is just the same this morning. This x ray cannot come fast enough.
Merrymoles
Well-Known Member
Mine presented with an abscess but, after a few weeks and x-rays, it turned out to be a tiny fracture in a side bone. The answer was box rest and remedial shoeing and *touches wood* it has never been a problem since. X-rays definitely the way to go. Good luck!
MDB
Well-Known Member
Thanks moleskinsmum. Still waiting vet. Have put horse on rest in a deep bed today, made a DIY bootie with padding for cushioning. No idea what time the vet is due. He just said afternoon. Which can be any time from 4pm to 8pm.
Alibear
Well-Known Member
Fingers firmly crossed for you. Hope vet turns up finds and drains an abscess and your poor horse can start feeling better straight away. Vets and horses do put us through the mill sometimes.
MDB
Well-Known Member
Okay.... vet has finally been. They found some sensitivity towards the front of the hoof with hoof testers and said it was virtually certain it was an abscess. However, on Friday the nerve block numbed the back of the hoof and they said that this only numbed the heel, not the toe or anything else, so that was a bit confusing. Also, another thing which may have a logical answer but i am confused about is that the suspected abscess is towards the front, so why will she weight bear on her toe, not her heel? So they opened up the hoof where they thought the abscess was, couldn't find anything. Went in until they got blod, but no pus. But they are still certain it is an abscess. I asked for x rays but they wouldn't do it, which i am disappointed about because I really wanted some answers. They have poulticed it and told me to confine and rest her and she has been prescribed antibiotics. They are coming back Friday, I have to leave the hoof all wrapped up and if no signs of an abscess they will x ray.
I know what my own thoughts on this are but I would like to hear your opinions. Xx
I know what my own thoughts on this are but I would like to hear your opinions. Xx
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whiteflower
Well-Known Member
How very strange for them to refuse to x-ray, it's non invasive and if your not insured they don't need to justify it to an insurance company. Having been down the 'its an abcess' route for weeks on end with multiple 'digging' incident.....and it then turning out to be other things Im not sure I would be happy with that. Is it possible the toe is reacting to testers now as she's only walking on the toe so bearing all her weight on it and hence bruised it ?? Strange it blocked to back of foot last week and also no reaction to hoof testers last week with I'm assuming the same level of lameness ??
I think I might be inclined to push again for x-rays or get a second opinion if horse is still not weight baring lame at this point ....
I think I might be inclined to push again for x-rays or get a second opinion if horse is still not weight baring lame at this point ....
Pearlsacarolsinger
Up in the clouds
i think your vet is a pita! I know that you don't have access to many practices but if you were in England, I would say "change your vet!". X-ray should have been done today. i have no idea why antibiotics have been prescribed, if it is an abscess that will just prolong the agony for the horse and you.
Can you not insist that the x-ray is done?
ETA, I can imagine that an abscess is developing so her toe reacts more to hoof testers now. And I have known vets that can't pinpoint an abscess. I once watched a vet sedate (that's why he was there) and then try to find an abscess but fail, the farrier who stood and watched then opened up an abscess in both back feet, with no problem at all. Can you get your farrier back and tell him about the reaction to the hoof testers?
Can you not insist that the x-ray is done?
ETA, I can imagine that an abscess is developing so her toe reacts more to hoof testers now. And I have known vets that can't pinpoint an abscess. I once watched a vet sedate (that's why he was there) and then try to find an abscess but fail, the farrier who stood and watched then opened up an abscess in both back feet, with no problem at all. Can you get your farrier back and tell him about the reaction to the hoof testers?
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ycbm
Overwhelmed
I had always understood that antibiotics are asking for trouble with an abcess which has not been opened. I would not give her them. You have no indication whatsoever of an infection requiring antibiotics.
Do you have access to another vet practice? The refusal to x ray is bizarre, the horse may have a broken pedal bone or navicular bone or sidebone. I would demand an x ray and use another practice of they will not do it. But you are in Spain and this may not be possible.
Is their x ray equipment broken, or something, it sound like they are simply making excuses?
I feel very sorry for you
Fun Times
Well-Known Member
I would not be happy with this outcome at all MDB. Nerve blocks are an inaccurate science in my experience so that could account for the anomaly and also she may now be responsive to hoof testers in toe due to the way she is compensating and bearing weight. I am so surprised that even after more digging without finding anything the vet has not xrayed. I don't know what options are available to you to seek a second opinion but I would be doing so if at all possible.